Separable attachment plug



June 1 1926.

s. MCCLATCHIE SEPARABLE ATTACHMENT PLUG Filed Nov. 20, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 4/ 2% w nmwmx Q.

June 1 1926.

s. mccLATcl-ugz SEPARABLE ATTACHMENT PLUG Filed Nov. 20, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented dame El,

STANLEY 'MOCLATCHIE, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or

or rumors.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A' CORPQRATION' SEPARABLE ATTACHMENT, PLUG.

Application filed November 20, 1929. Serial No. 425,32

My invention relates to electrical connector devices and more particularly to separable attachment plugs.

One of the ob ects of my inventlon is to dispense with a considerable portion of the insulation ordinarily used in separable attachment plugs, thereby cheapemng the plug and lessening the danger of breakage.

A further object of my invention 1s to provide a separable attachment plug which will be durable and eficient in use, simple in construction and cheap to manufacture.

. Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow and for the appended claims. In the drawings in which two embodlments of my invention are shown-- Fi 1 is a side elevation of a separable attac ment plug Fig. 2 is a p in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line '33 of Fi 2' Fig.1 is a plan view with the plug con tacts removed;

an view of the plug shown Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the outer insulating base or handle member;

Fig. 6 1s a perspective view of one of the spring contact members;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the other spring contact. member;

Fig. 8 is a and conductiu member;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a art broken away;

I ig. 10 is a bottom view of a part of the plug shown in Fig. 9;

Flg. 11 is an anal sectional view showing another form of separable attachment plug embodying my invention; and

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 1212 of Fig. 11.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive, the construction shown therein comprises a separable attachment plug having a cap portion 15, which may be of any usual or suitable construction, and a body portion 16 having sprin agement wit the blades 19 of the cap, and

aving shell and center contacts 20 and 21 for engaging the corresponding contacts of a socket or receptacle.

The body portion 16 comprises, in addition to the contacts 17, 18, 20 and 21 referred to, an insulating base 22 which serves as a tact to'stand the strain caused by.

perspective view of a securing the plug with contacts 17 and 18 for enhandle member, an insulating spacer 23 which serves to insulate the center contact 21 with respect to the shell contact 20, and a securing and conducting member 24 which extends between the center contact 21 and the center contact 21, the spacer 23, shell contact 20, and spring contacts 17 and 18 in position with respect to the insulating base 22, and to electrically connect the center contact 21 with the spring contact 17;

It will be noted that there is practically no insulation inside the threaded shell contact, this being rendered unnecessa by the construction employed, whereby c eapness and lightness is secured, and" danger of breakage is avoided. v a

The upper end of the threaded shell contact 20 is made conical in shape as indicated at 25 to provide a strong rigid support for the insulating s acer 23 and center contact 21, and to ena lo the threaded shell conscrewing the plu home in the socket, a also that caused y the securing member 24, which acts as a tension member to hold the parts to ether. I

he insulating base 22, which serves as a handle member and as the main insulating support for the body portion of the plug is provided with a pair of funneled entrance 7 openings 26 through which the blades 19 o the cap enter into engagement with the spring contacts 17 and 18, these funneled entrance openin s gular e cap from the plug as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and also serving to facilitate the entry of the blades 19 into engagement with the sprin contacts 17 and 18 as set forth more ful y in my copending application, Serial No. 400,660, filed August 2, 1920.

The spring contact 17, which is electrically connected with the center contact 21, comprises a duplexspring portion 27, which receives and embraces the cap blade 19, a base portion 28, which rests on the insulating base 22, and a positioning lug 29, which engages the side wall of one of the openings 26, as shownin Fig. 3. The base portion 28 of the spring contact 17 is held on the insulatlng base 22 by means of the securing member 24, which has two laterally extending wing portions 30, (Fig.8) the lower edges of which bear on thebase 28 of the 110 the insulating base 22 and serves to hold spring contact 17 and holds it firmly on the insulating base 22. The lower end 31 of the securing member 24 extends into an opening in the insulating base 22 and has its extreme end riveted over as indicated at 32 in Fig. 3 to secure it. The upper end 33 of the securing member 24 extends through openings in the insulating spacer 23 and center contact 21, and has its extreme upper end riveted over as indicated at 34 to hold the parts firmly in place. The securing member 24 may be formed as an integral sheet metal stamping and as may also be the center contact 21.

In order to prevent the shell contact 20 from slipping or swiveling on the insulating base 22 when it is screwed into the socket, the base 22 is provided with a notch 34 (Fig. 5) into which a portion of the threaded shell contact is depressed as indicated at 34 in Fig. 1.

The spring contact 18, shown in detail in Fig. 7, is quite similar to the spring contact a t 17 just described, but differs in that it is constructed to be electrically connected with the shell contact 20. This spring contact 18 comprises a duplex spring portion 35 which receives and embraces the cap blade 19, a

' pair of laterally extending lugs 36 forming base portions for engaging the insulating base 22, and a downwardly extending positioning lug 37 which extends down and engages the wall of one of the openings 26 for positioning the spring contact. The laterally extending base portions 36 extend out underneath the edge of the threaded shell contact 20, whereby the spring contact is firmly pressed against the insulating base 22 and electrically connected with the threaded shell contact 20.

In order that the spring contacts 17 and 18 may cooperate properly with contact blades of different types, the spring portion of each of them is provided with two independently yieldable portions 38 and 39 respectively, the portion 38 being struck up from the portion 39, the entire spring contact members 17 and 18 being formed of integral sheet metal stampings.

There are two types of blades for attachment plug caps in common use, one of which has a pair of notches on opposite edges of the blade and the other of which has a centrally located notch. The spring contact portion 38 is constructed for cooperation with the type of blade having the central depression, while the spring contact portion 39 is constructed for cooperation with the type of blade having the pair of depressions in its opposite edges. For engaging these pair of depressions the contact portion 39 is provided with a pair of inwardly struck projections 40 positioned so as to cooperate properly with the notches 'in the blade of the cap.

ber 24, spring contact 17, cap blades 19, and

the spring contact 18 to the threaded shell contact 20.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figs. 11 and 12, this is quite similar to the construction just described, in that there is substantially no insulation inside the threaded shell contact, in that the spring contacts 41 and 42 are located practically inside the threaded shell contact 43, and in that the center contact 44, the insulating spacer 45, the threaded shell contact 43 and spring contacts 41 and 42 are all held in place on the insulating base 46 by means of a central securing member 47. In this form of invention the spring contact 41 and center contact 44 are formed as integral parts of a sheet metal stamping, having an opening through which the securing screw 47 extends. The spring contact 42 has a base portion 48 which extends underneath a strap portion 49 struck downwardly from theupper portion of the threaded shell contact 43. This base portion 48 is clamped between the strap portion 49 and the insulating spacer 45 by means of the central screw 47, which is threaded into the insulating base 46 as indicated at 50.

The circuit is from the center cont-act 44, through the spring contact 41, cap blades 19, and spring contact 42 to the threaded shell contact 43.

While I have shown but two embodiments of my invention, it may be embodied in other forms as covered and defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A separable attachment plug body, comprising a threaded shell contact, an insulating base at and extending across the outer end of said threaded shell contact, and having blade entrance openings therein for the passage of contact blades to the interior of the threaded shell contact, an insulating member at the inner end of said threaded shell contact,a center contact insulated from said threaded shell contact by said insulating member, said base and member being spaced a substantial distance from each other, and contacts inside said shell contact and located substantially in the space between said base and insulating member for engaging cap blades said plug being provided with means for holding the blade engaging contacts, shell contact and insulating member and insulating base in their proper relative position.

2. A separable attachment plug body, comprising a threaded shell contact, an insulating base at and extending across the having blade entrance openings therein for the passage of contact blades to the interior of the threaded shell contact, .an insulating member at the inner end of said threaded shell contact, a center contact in-' sulated from said threaded shell contact by said insulating member, said base and member being spaced a substantial distance from each other, and contacts inside said shell contact and located'substantially in the space between said base and insulating member for engaging cap blades, said insulating base terminating substantially at a plane through the outer end of said shell contact said plug being provided with means for holding the blade engaging contacts, shell contact and insulating member and insulating base in their proper relative position. 3. A separable attachment plug body, comprising a threaded shell contact, an insulating base at and extending across the outer end of said threaded shell contact, and having blade entrance openings therein for the passage of contact blades to the interior of the threaded shell contact, an insulating member at the inner end of said threaded shell contact, a center contact insulatedfrom of said shell contact, said insulating member 4. A receptacle comprising a contact member formed of sheet metal, having two integral independently yieldable portions for engagement with'blades of different designs, one of said yieldable portions being struck up from the other yieldable portion one of said yieldable portions having a portion struck up therefrom for engaging a; contactblade havin a depression in each edge, and the other yieldable portions having a portion struck up therefrom for engaging a contact blade having a depression in its central portion.

5. A receptacle comprising a contact member of sheet material having two independently yieldable portions, one portion being struck up from the other, one of said yieldable portions having a portion struck up therefrom forengaging a contact blade having a depression in each edge, and the other yieldable portions having a portion struck up therefrom for engaging a contact blade having a depression in its central ortion one of said spring port-ions being U- aped and the other spring-portion being strucl: up between the arms of said U-shaped portion.

In witness whereof, I have hereuntosubscribed my,name.

STANLEY MGCLATOHIE. 

